A Crime Analysis Report presented by the RCMP at the City of Grande Prairie’s Public & Protective Services Committee meeting on January 31 has noted a trending decrease in crime data in the areas surrounding the Coordinated Care Campus.
A historic review of crime data from 2019 onwards was completed for the surrounding areas of the facility, including Northridge and Northgate East, as well as for the Coordinated Care Campus itself.
The report was based on police calls and common offenses.
In Northridge neighbourhood, the number of calls for service remained approximately 35% lower overall, comparative to 2019. This declining trend, related to a decrease in calls for service, is consistent in the Northgate East neighbourhood and the Coordinated Care Campus property.
Although some businesses in the Northridge neighbourhood did see more police files generated in 2022 compared to 2021, the call for service numbers remain on par with the number of files generated in the baseline year of 2019.
At the Coordinated Care Campus site itself, the area has seen a decline from 60 police files in 2019 to 17 in 2022. The first tenants moved into the facility in November 2021.
Regular reports on RCMP statistics around the Coordinated Care Campus are being brought to Council to ensure the facility is being integrated effectively into the community and providing a safe solution to homelessness for all residents.
“Seeing the results of these RCMP reports is important for Council; homelessness in Grande Prairie affects all residents and its important that our solutions work well for all our residents,” says Mayor Jackie Clayton.
“One of the benefits of the community supportive housing model of the Coordinated Care Campus is reduced interactions with emergency response and law enforcement, in turn reducing the related costs for taxpayers. It is encouraging to see the facility is already helping the community reap these benefits, and Council looks forward to addressing our local housing needs as part of our Strategic Priority to support an Inclusive & Caring Community.”
The full report is available in the January 31, 2023 Public & Protective Services Committee meeting agenda and minutes at cityofgp.com.
About the Coordinated Care Campus
The Coordinated Care Campus is a community supportive housing facility designed to address chronic homelessness in the community. Approved in 2021 as a Rapid Housing Initiative, the Coordinated Care Campus will see a former hotel and conference center converted into supportive housing units and municipal offices.
Grande Prairie has a strongly identified need for community supportive housing based on the Grande Prairie Five Year Plan to End Homelessness (2015-2019), Affordable Housing Action Plan (2021-2022), and Homelessness Strategy (2021-2023).
Community Supportive Housing helps residents maintain their housing, reducing the volume of homelessness and related issues in the city and creating a safer, vibrant community for all residents.